propaganda

[prop-uh-gan-duh] /ˌprɒp əˈgæn də/
noun
1.
information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.
2.
the deliberate spreading of such information, rumors, etc.
3.
the particular doctrines or principles propagated by an organization or movement.
4.
Roman Catholic Church.
  1. a committee of cardinals, established in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV, having supervision over foreign missions and the training of priests for these missions.
  2. a school (College of Propaganda) established by Pope Urban VIII for the education of priests for foreign missions.
5.
Archaic. an organization or movement for the spreading of propaganda.
Origin
1710-20; < New Latin, short for congregātiō dē propāgandā fidē congregation for propagating the faith; propāgandā, ablative singular feminine gerundive of propāgāre; see propagate
Examples from the web for propaganda
  • They would be the ones to invest the big money into a propaganda campaign to convince less educated people that it was a hoax.
  • And left wing propaganda poses little threat to students who never actually read it.
  • It has become a major, defining moment, for those who pursue the political and social propaganda.
  • Possibly more interesting as propaganda than playwriting.
  • The right-wing propaganda machine that has snowed you under, that's where.
  • It's claimed experimental verification is nothing but propaganda.
  • Among these reasons one of the first places belongs to false ideas and theories propaganda.
  • Then there's photo manipulation, once a rarefied propaganda technique.
  • Think of the propaganda on all sides that bias the eye witnesses.
  • We who are old-fashioned enough to call a crime a crime are labeled as warmongers or hypocrites or dupes of propaganda.
British Dictionary definitions for propaganda

propaganda

/ˌprɒpəˈɡændə/
noun
1.
the organized dissemination of information, allegations, etc, to assist or damage the cause of a government, movement, etc
2.
such information, allegations, etc
Derived Forms
propagandism, noun
propagandist, noun, adjective
Word Origin
C18: from Italian, use of propāgandā in the New Latin title Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide Sacred Congregation for Propagating the Faith

Propaganda

/ˌprɒpəˈɡændə/
noun
1.
(RC Church) a congregation responsible for directing the work of the foreign missions and the training of priests for these
Word Origin and History for propaganda
n.

1718, "committee of cardinals in charge of Catholic missionary work," short for Congregatio de Propaganda Fide "congregation for propagating the faith," a committee of cardinals established 1622 by Gregory XV to supervise foreign missions. The word is properly the ablative fem. gerundive of Latin propagare (see propagation). Hence, "any movement to propagate some practice or ideology" (1790). Modern political sense dates from World War I, not originally pejorative. Meaning "material or information propagated to advance a cause, etc." is from 1929.

propaganda in Culture

propaganda definition


Official government communications to the public that are designed to influence opinion. The information may be true or false, but it is always carefully selected for its political effect.